Everything changed on that day. Not just for me—for the entire world.
It started with the sky.
A blinding light tore through the clouds, painting the world in strange, golden hues. Then came the ringing. A high-pitched, bone-deep sound that dropped everyone to their knees. Phones stopped working. Planes fell. The world froze in chaos—and then the screens lit up.
> [SYSTEM INITIALIZING...]
I was in my apartment. Alone. Watching the world fall apart through the crack of my window blinds. And when the message appeared, floating in front of me like some bad sci-fi joke, I couldn't even bring myself to laugh.
> [Welcome to the System.]
[The world has now been integrated. You have been selected.]
[Please choose a class—]
The message glitched. Buzzed. Faded. Then came back.
> [Error: Class not assigned.]
[Special Condition Detected...]
[Class: ??? Assigned]
[Skill: Copy – Acquired]
[Description: You can copy any skill... but only if the user dies by your hand.]
I blinked. My heart pounded. Copy?
Was this a joke?
I tried to swipe it away. It stayed.
A second later, more messages followed. Everyone else was screaming. I heard it through the walls. In the distance, alarms howled. And above it all, the System's cold voice kept talking.
> [Monsters have been released.]
[Survive. Level up. Evolve.]
That was three months ago.
---
The world became a game. Just like that.
We called them "dungeons." Zones of twisted space that formed randomly across the planet. Monsters spilled out. Buildings fell. Cities collapsed. Half the government was wiped out in the first two weeks. And in their place...
Rankers.
People who awakened early. Who gained broken classes and rare skills. They leveled fast, adapted quicker, and formed factions, guilds, entire kingdoms in the rubble of the old world. They ruled now.
Me? I was no one.
The Classless. Weak. Hiding in the shadow of stronger people, doing trash quests, avoiding conflict. Because to activate my only skill—I had to kill.
Not monsters.
Other humans.
That wasn't me. I couldn't.
Until today.
---
I was in the outer zone of a ruined city—scavenging. That's all I did. Search half-looted dungeons for scraps rankers didn't bother with. Sometimes I found potion fragments or cracked mana stones. Enough to trade for a little food.
Today, though... things were different.
The sky was darker than usual. The air, thick with tension. I should've turned back. But then—
A sound like thunder. Then another.
And something crashed nearby. A body. I stared in disbelief.
It was a man. Mid-twenties maybe. Cloaked in glowing armor. Radiating power like a living star.
A hero. One of the top 10 Rankers. I knew his face—Valken the Flame Paladin. He was supposed to be fighting in Europe.
He wasn't moving.
I rushed toward him without thinking, the ground shaking under my feet. His armor cracked and smoking. Blood pooled around his side.
"Hey—! Are you—" I reached for his shoulder. Shook him.
He didn't respond.
> [Target: Valken – Deceased]
[Skill Copy Condition Fulfilled]
[Copying Skills: Flame Guard, Phoenix Step, Blazing Wrath...]
[Stats Absorbed. Syncing...]
Wait—what?
> [You have copied: 11 Skills.]
[You have absorbed: 100% of Target's Stats.]
My body arched back.
Fire poured into me.
My muscles screamed. Bones shifted. My chest felt like it would burst.
> [Level Up: 1 → 35]
I dropped to my knees, gasping, hands on the dirt.
I felt it. The power. My vision sharpened. My senses expanded. I could hear the heartbeat of a rat thirty feet away. I could feel heat from burning rubble half a block down.
I was strong.
No. Not just strong.
I was a Ranker now.
---
But I didn't have time to process it.
Because that thing that killed Valken?
It was still nearby.
And it noticed me.
A low growl cut through the air. I turned toward the sound and froze.
A wolf. But not like any I'd ever seen.
Its fur was pitch-black, almost absorbing the light around it. Red markings pulsed along its limbs like veins. Its eyes locked on mine—and I swear, I could feel my heart skip.
> [Dire Duskfang – Rare Beast]
[Level: 42]
[Status: Aggressive]
My knees almost buckled.
It was bigger than a horse. Muscles coiled like steel beneath its fur, and the way it moved—silent, deliberate—it was a predator. I was prey.
But I wasn't the same guy I was five minutes ago.
My hand clenched. Fire danced along my skin.
"Okay," I whispered, trying to calm my breathing. "Let's see what I can do."
The wolf lunged.
I sidestepped, instincts guiding me. My body moved faster than I could think. Phoenix Step activated on its own, leaving a faint trail of flame as I dashed to the side.
The beast's jaws snapped shut where I'd just been.
I didn't stop. Blazing Wrath surged through me—my fists lit with heat, my vision tinged with red.
I struck.
My fist collided with its side, and fire exploded across its ribs. It howled in pain, stumbling back.
"Holy—" I backed away, heart hammering.
This was real. I wasn't dreaming. I just hurt a rare beast with a punch.
It recovered fast. Growled louder. Then it dashed again—fangs bared.
I raised my hand, instinct pulling up Flame Guard. A dome of fire burst around me just as the wolf crashed into it.
Searing flame engulfed its face.
It yelped, recoiling—but not for long. It was enraged now. Faster.
I had to end this.
I reached inside. Let the power burn. And jumped—Phoenix Step carried me above it. I spun in the air, calling on one more borrowed move—
Flame Lance.
My arm snapped forward. A spear of fire formed and hurled straight into its back.
It slammed into the ground, smoke trailing from its wounds. Breathing ragged.
I landed, panting.
The wolf twitched once... then lay still.
I stared at the ashes, shaking.
That wasn't just a fluke.
I really had the power of a top Ranker now.
And maybe... just maybe...
I could survive this new world.
The Dire Duskfang collapsed with a final twitch, blood pooling under its corpse. My chest heaved as the system messages popped up.
[You have slain a Rare-class monster: Dire Duskfang.]
[You have gained 1,429 EXP.]
[LEVEL UP! x2]
I barely looked at them. My arms were burning, legs shaky, but I could feel it—my body was changing. Muscles tightening, grip firmer. I didn't have time to process it.
Because that's when I heard it.
Heavy footsteps. Fast. Not like the wolves.
I turned just in time to see it charging.
Not another wolf.
This one was humanoid. Taller than me by a full head, bulked with raw muscle, skin a cracked grey color like old stone. Black eyes. Its fists were like concrete blocks, and it moved with a fighter's stance.
[New Entity Detected: Rare-Class Mutant – Ironjaw Brute]
[Danger Level: HIGH]
[Recommended Action: Retreat]
Too late.
It was already swinging.
The punch nailed me square in the chest. Felt like I got hit by a truck. Air blasted out of my lungs. I went flying back, smashing into a tree, pain exploding through my ribs.
I dropped to one knee, coughing, tasting blood. My vision blurred. My blade was still in my hand—somehow.
The monster didn't wait.
It charged again, low and fast.
I dodged left at the last second. Its fist blew a crater into the ground where I was just standing.
I slashed at its side—steel scraping skin—but it barely reacted.
Then it stopped. Muscles tensed. Veins bulged.
It growled low, then let out a roar.
[Skill Detected: Bloodrush]
[Skill Type: Active | Monster Class]
[Effect: Temporarily doubles all stats for 3 minutes. Enter berserk state. Ignore pain. Heavy fatigue after use.]
[Skill Copy Condition: Kill target.]
Its body literally swelled. Arms got bigger, neck thicker, eyes glowing red.
It didn't just look pissed—it looked unstoppable.
It charged again. Faster this time.
I tried to block.
Didn't matter.
The hit slammed into my forearm, breaking my guard and sending me sliding across the ground. Pain shot up my side. My fingers almost dropped the blade.
I rolled, barely avoiding a stomp that cracked the ground next to me.
This thing wasn't just strong now—it was berserk. Wild. And fast. I couldn't trade blows.
I had to outlast it. Or outsmart it.
But my HP was dropping fast. One more clean hit, I was done.
And yet, that skill…
Bloodrush.
If I could kill it, that skill would be mine.
And if I had that?
Maybe I wouldn't be at the bottom anymore.
Maybe I'd finally have a shot.
I spat blood, forcing myself up again. "Come on, then," I muttered, locking eyes with the brute as it roared and charged again. "Let's see which one of us dies first."
It came straight for me—no hesitation.
I ducked under its punch. Still felt the air split next to my head. Too damn fast for something that huge.
I slashed upward, caught its ribs. The blade bit in but didn't do much. Barely more than a scratch.
It snarled, grabbed me by the face, and slammed me into the ground.
White-hot pain.
My vision blurred. My ears rang.
I gasped and kicked free, rolling onto my knees, coughing dirt and blood.
"You hit like a truck," I spat, "but you're still ugly as shit."
It growled, lips pulling back to bare yellowed fangs.
"You mad?" I barked, forcing myself to my feet. "Good. Come on, you overgrown gym reject."
It rushed again. I feinted left, dodged right, and dragged the blade across its thigh. Deep enough to make it flinch.
It grabbed for me, I ducked under the swing and jabbed the sword into its gut. Still not deep enough.
"Didn't skip leg day, huh?" I muttered.
Then—its muscles bulged. Veins pulsed. The single red eye flared with light.
[Warning: Skill detected.]
The system popped up.
[Skill: Bloodrush Activated]
[Effect: All stats doubled. Pain suppressed. Duration: 3:00]
[Fatigue Imminent After Use.]
Seriously??
My stomach dropped.
"Oh, shit—"
Too late.
It roared and moved—faster than before. I didn't even see the punch. Just felt my ribs shatter as I went flying. Crashed through a bush. Slammed into a rock.
I couldn't breathe. My body didn't want to move.
[WARNING: Vitality Critically Low.]
My legs were jelly. My arms barely worked. But I still stood up, leaning on my blade.
"You juicing now, huh?" I croaked. "Gotta cheat to keep up with me?"
It growled like it understood. Charged again, claws raised.
I dodged the first swipe, barely. The second grazed my arm, blood spraying.
I didn't care.
Adrenaline drowned out the pain. I laughed—half-crazy, half-broken.
"That all you got?! I've had hangovers worse than this!"
I saw it then—its back exposed again, overreaching.
Now or never.
I lunged. Jumped on its back. Drove the blade into the base of its neck.
It screamed, flailing. I held tight.
One stab. Two. Three. Blood everywhere.
It slammed me into a tree, once—twice—but I didn't let go.
Finally—one last thrust. Bone cracked. Something vital gave.
The Ironjaw Brute collapsed.
[You have slain a Rare-class monster: Ironjaw Brute.]
[Skill Acquired: Bloodrush]
[Skill Type: Active | Monster Class]
[Effect: Temporarily doubles all stats for 3 minutes. Enter berserk state. Ignore pain. Fatigue post-use.]
[Skill Rank: B+]
[Class Update: Conditions progressing…]
I slid off its back, gasping, my knees buckling.
No EXP. No level.
Just the skill.
"Bloodrush, huh…" I muttered, grinning despite the pain. "Let's see how far I can go with this."
I stumbled back, barely keeping on my feet. Blood ran down my face, my arms, my side—too much blood. My head throbbed like a war drum and everything inside me felt… wrong.
But I was alive.
Barely.
The corpse of the Ironjaw Brute twitched once before finally going still, its massive form collapsed in a pool of dark, steaming blood.
My chest heaved with every breath, lungs burning like they'd been clawed out and shoved back in. I leaned against the nearest tree, the bark biting into my back. My fingers trembled around the blood-slick hilt of the sword.
Then the screen flickered again, pulsing faintly in the corner of my vision.
[Skill: Bloodrush]
[Stored in Active Skill Slot 1]
I swallowed hard. I couldn't believe it actually worked. I copied a monster skill. Not just some random mob's passive garbage either—this was real power.
That thing almost killed me. And now I had what made it dangerous.
I sank to my knees, dirt clinging to blood-soaked pants. My whole body ached. My arms felt heavy, like they weren't mine anymore.
Fatigue hit me all at once, like a brick wall. Not just physical, but mental too. Like something had been clawing at the inside of my head the entire fight and finally gave up.
I clenched my jaw.
"I'm not dying here," I muttered to no one. "Not after this."
I needed shelter. Food. A safe zone, if such a thing still existed.
The forest around me creaked and groaned. Every sound made my nerves twitch.
It wasn't over.
This was just one rare monster. There were others. Probably worse.
And rankers.
The real threats.
People like me who got skills, but earlier. Stronger. Trained. Organized. Heroes, if you asked the news.
But I wasn't like them.
I didn't get some shiny announcement or some god-tier class.
Just one skill.
One rule.
Kill to copy.
I stared at my shaking hands.
Was I really going to survive in this new world… by becoming a killer?
The answer didn't come. But I didn't look away either.
My body was wrecked. My nerves shot. But something deep inside me had clicked.
This world didn't reward hesitation. It rewarded results.
So I got up. One shaky leg at a time.
And I walked.
Because if this place really was a game now—then I was going to play to win.
No matter the cost.